


Americano With An Extra Shot

by AGayMessTBH



Category: Uta no Prince-sama, UtaPri
Genre: AU, Ai is a human in this, Alternate Universe, First Kisses, M/M, Minor Character Death, One Shot, You can pry emo Ranmaru from my cold dead hands., coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 08:35:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20005405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGayMessTBH/pseuds/AGayMessTBH
Summary: Ranmaru was not at all pleased to get called into work at 6am, but then Ai walked in.





	Americano With An Extra Shot

**Author's Note:**

> Y’all Imma barista and I hear the sounds of steaming milk in my nightmares. Also, this turned into something wayyyyyy longer than I thought it would be, but *insert shrugging emoji here*

It was 6 am, and Ranmaru was not thrilled to have been called into work by his boss this early in the morning.

“You are a life saver!” Ringo smiled, and moved to let Ranmaru in. Ranmaru just huffed, and got to work opening, taking down chairs and setting up the espresso machines.

“You owe me a coffee, I went to bed at 3 am.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll treat you today,” Ringo laughed while baking today’s croissants in the oven.

Ranmaru clicked the button on the coffee brewer to make a fresh pot, and sat down with his face in his arms, just resting his eyes for a moment. Ringo placed a cup of coffee in front of him, and gave him a warm smile.

“Drink this quickly, we open in a few minutes.”

Ranmaru let out an appreciative hum, and slammed the coffee, before pulling on his apron, and waiting for people to show up.

It didn’t take long for someone to walk in, a blue haired boy, in a soft hoodie and a jean jacket, and dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept well.

“What can I get for you?” Ranmaru asked, not bothering to force his customer service smile this early in the morning.

“I need a large americano with an extra shot.”

“Are you sure? That’s like 4 shots of espresso.”

“Did I stutter?” Ranmaru was a little taken aback by the boy’s reaction, he said it with no malice, and his voice was rather soft, hearing such rude words come from the boy was a little jarring.

“Can I have a name for the drink?”

“Ai,” Ranmaru scribbled the name on the cup.

Ai payed, and Ranmaru made the drink. He watched as Ai only poured in a single sugar packet before leaving. 

“Weird kid,” Ranmaru grunted and went back to work.

Ai returned again a few hours later.

“Hey kid, I don’t think you need more coffee.”

“It’s not for me, it’s for my coworker. I need a medium coffee, but can you put it in a large cup?”

Ranmaru complied, and watched, in horror, as Ai filled this coffee with 12 sugar packs and the rest with half and half. Ai merely shrugged, “He likes it sweet.”

Ranmaru nodded, and watched as Ai left again.

A few days passed before Ai came in again, 7 am on the dot. He looked even more tired than before. His hair was wild and messy, and he was wearing joggers and a T-shirt. Ranmaru gave him a look, before he began to ring him up.

“You look like you need your americano.” 

“Please.”

Ai seemed defeated. Now that he was closer, Ranmaru could see that his eyes were red around the edges.

“Hey are you okay?” Ranmaru set down his sharpie.

Ai nodded, though it wasn’t very convincing.

“Go sit down I’ll bring this out to you, you look like you need a break.”

Ranmaru made Ai’s americano, and then decided to make him a cup of tea to help him relax. He set both drinks down. Ai gave him a skeptical look, “I didn’t order this.”

“I know, it’s on me.”

Ai smiled a little, and took a sip of the tea.

Every day for the next week Ai came in and got the same thing, a large americano with an extra shot. Ranmaru started to just have it ready for Ai when he came in. They settled into a routine, light banter, teasing without any malice, laughs stolen in between customers. Except for when Ai didn’t show up. It was a Monday, and 7am came and went without Ai stopping by. Ranmaru had felt brave that day, and expertly hid his phone number on the cup under the sleeve, with his name scribbled underneath and Ai didn’t even show up.

He was a little miffed at this, but chalked it up to Ai possibly being sick.

But then week passed, and Ranmaru hadn’t seen Ai once. Maybe he was just unlucky, and Ai had come in when he wasn’t working. Or maybe Ai was avoiding him, or maybe Ai had died in a tragic accident—

A man approaching the register snapped him out of his thoughts.

“I need a large americano with an extra shot, and medium coffee in a large cup.”

Ranmaru looked up from writing on the cup, and saw a man with long blonde hair, in a sweater that looked expensively soft.

“Are you, by chance, Ai’s coworker?” Ranmaru asked.

“I am indeed.”

“I haven’t seen him stop by in a while, good to know he’s getting his caffeine fix. Can I have your name?”

“Camus.”

“Alright. Is he doing okay?” Ranmaru asked while making Ai’s drink. 

Camus sighed, “He’ll be alright. He’s just having some issues in his personal life.”

Ranmaru didn’t want to pry more and be rude, so he placed the drinks on the counter, and said goodbye to Camus.

Ai came in later that day.

“I want that tea you gave me the other day, do you still have it?”

Ranmaru nodded, and filled a mug with water, before placing the tea satchel into it. He passed it over to Ai, who took it gratefully.

“What’s your name? Camus said you were worried about me.”

Ranmaru’s cheeks heated up slightly, “Yeah well when someone comes in a lot and suddenly they don’t it’s a little worrying. The name’s Ranmaru.”

“Ranmaru,” Ai tested it, and it made the other’s chest flutter a little bit, “thank you for thinking about me.”

And from then on Ai came in every single day at 7 am without fail, even when Ranmaru wasn’t working. They became easy acquaintances, and soon friends. One day, when Ranmaru was feeling brave again, he wrote his number on the cup. 

“We’re not really supposed to do it, but you won’t report me,” Ranmaru gave a shrug, knowing full well Ringo watched him write his number and said nothing.

“Well, aren’t you a rebel.”

Ranmaru snickered, and watched as Ai left.

“You like him,” Ringo sang, from the register.

“Shut up!”

Later that day Ranmaru got a text from Ai.

Let’s meet up for coffee.

Ranmaru smiled, and sent back an okay.

They met up on Ranmaru’s day off. Ai was wearing Ranmaru’s favorite outfit of his, the soft looking hoodie with the jean jacket. Ringo, of course, just had to be working that day.

“My my, Ran! You’re gracing us by coming in on your day off!” Ringo teased, already making Ai’s americano.

“Oh shut up,” Ranmaru bit back, “Just give me a cup of coffee.” 

Ringo smiled, and rang up their orders. Ranmaru paid, and the pair moved to a table in the corner.

“I’m surprised you haven’t had a heart attack yet from all that espresso,” Ranmaru chided Ai, taking a sip from his own coffee.

“Well I’ve been drinking coffee since I was twelve, you build up a tolerance,” Ai replied,

“Started young?”

“My dad’s a scientist, we spent long hours in his lab pouring over data, I’m just kind of used to it at this point.”

“You have any other family?”

Ai paused for a moment, “Yes, a twin brother.”

“Do you guys have a psychic connection?” Ranmaru asked jokingly.

“No that’s all just legends,” Ai replied seriously, not understanding the nature of Ranmaru’s question.

Ranmaru just chuckled a little, and ruffled Ai’s hair.

The pair continued to text everyday, it became a habit for Ranmaru. Wake up, text Ai, go to work, see Ai, go home, text Ai. It got to the point that Ranmaru’s friends had started to notice.

“Ran, you literally just let me throw you off the ledge so you could text someone?” Ren grumped, as they played smash.

“Ren leave him alone, you were the same way when we first started dating,” Masato replied, from the other end of the couch, launching Ren’s Bayonetta into the air with his Marth.

“Who says I’m dating anyone?”

Both the younger boys looked away from the screen to him, as of what he said was ridiculous.

His phone pinged.

Ai: want to come over?

Ranmaru smiled.

Ranmaru: Sorry I cant I have people over  
Ranmaru: unless you wanted to come over here

Ai replied right away.

Ai: what’s your address?

Ranmaru’s heart felt light as he responded. 

“Ai’s coming over.”

“Oh is this a double date now?” Ren teased, as he took Masato’s last stock.

Ranmaru didn’t even dignify it with a response. 

Then Ai arrived, and Ranmaru felt even lighter.

“We’re playing smash if you want to play,” Masato called from the couch.

“Yes please, kick Ren’s ass so he can stop being so smug,” Ranmaru barked.

“I’ve never played before,” Ai admitted, as he sat down. Ranmaru handed him a controller.

“It’s pretty easy,” and he began to explain the controls.

And so they began, Ren as Bayonetta, Masato as Marth, Ranmaru as Ganon, and Ai as Isabelle.

Ren raised an eyebrow at Ranmaru, but said nothing. And so the fight began.

And holy shit, Ai was fucking destroying the other three. He broke pots over Ren, which sent him flying off screen. He planted a bomb behind Masato when he was too distracted to notice, which sent him flying, and fished Ranmaru right off the ledge when he was trying to get back on. The winner was Ai.

“Wow you were right, it is pretty easy.”

The other three just stared at him slack jawed.

The next time Ranmaru opened, Ai came in, and once again looked like he didn’t sleep well.

“You good?” Ranmaru asked as he handed Ai his coffee.

“Yes, I was just up late thinking.”

“About?” 

“You. About us.” Ai replied, almost embarrassed.

“What about us?”

“About how you make me feel weird,” Ai looked away. 

“Weird?”

“Not in a bad way, just,” Ai paused trying to find the right words to say, “Different, tingly.”

“I make you feel tingly?” Ranmaru smirked, a shit eating grin plastered on his face.

“Yeah,” Ai muttered back.

“I think you might have a crush on me,” Ranmaru continued to grin.

“A crush?” Ai flushed.

“Yes a crush. Though you’re lucky.”

“Why is that?”

“I have a crush on you too.”

Ai refused to meet Ranmaru’s eyes and took a sip of his coffee.

“Are you free today?” Ranmaru asked as he moved back behind the counter.

“Yes, why?”

“I’ll pick you up at seven for a date.”

“It’s a date,” Ai replied.

“A date.” Ranmaru confirmed, feeling a smile pull on his lips.

Ai glanced around the store, making sure no one else was there, before he leaned over and planted a kiss on Ranmaru’s cheek, “I’ll see you then.”

His voice was so soft, and Ranmaru just melted.

“Hey! No PDA in my cafe! Out you go!” Ringo shouted while appearing from the back room, and shooed Ai out of the store.

“Careful, all his pastels will ruin your tough guy image,” Ringo nudged Ren with their shoulder.

“Yeah right, if anything I’ll look even tougher.”

“You cried when My Chemical Romance broke up.”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” and Ranmaru went back to work.

At seven Ranmaru stood outside Ai’s apartment. He went for a simple look, a black blazer on top of a white T-shirt and jeans. He knocked on the door, and waited. A few moments later Ai appeared, wearing a soft cardigan that Ranmaru wanted to pet.

“You ready?” Ranmaru asked, scratching a phantom itch on the back of his neck.

Ai nodded, and the pair set off. 

They walked to a park nearby, that had a huge garden. Picking a trail, Ranmaru guided Ai over to a rose bush. He stopped and leaned over to smell them.

“I’ve never been able to really smell the difference between flowers. They all smell the same to me,” Ranmaru admitted.

“I’ve never really thought about it,” Ai said back. He took a sniff, and scrunched his nose.

“Not a fan?” Ranmaru chuckled.

Ai merely shrugged. Ranmaru carefully entwined their hands together, and gave a hesitant squeeze. Ai gave a squeeze back, and stared up at Ranmaru’s face, a small smile lighting his face up ever to slightly. A moment passed.

“Are you wearing eyeliner?” Ai asked, tilting his head to get a better look.

Ranmaru laughed, “Yeah it’s punk rock.”

“You’re a nerd.”

They walked around like that until Ranmaru’s stomach started to rumble. 

“You hungry?”

“I could eat,” Ai replied, and began to lead the way. They soon arrived at a cute little gelato shop. 

Ai got a scoop of lemon, while Ranmaru got vanilla.

“It’s sweet,” Ranmaru crinkled his nose slightly.

“Do you not like it? Here have some of mine,” Ai held up a spoonful of his own gelato for Ranmaru to try. Warmth filled his Ranmaru’s cheeks and he tried a bite. He nodded, and remarked that it was better slightly sour.

Ai’s phone began to ring. He frowned, and declined the call. They left the shop and continued on their way, his phone rang again. Ai once again hit decline.

“Who’s that?” Ranmaru asked, absentmindedly pushing back a strand of Ai’s hair.

“Just a friend who constantly needs attention or he’ll die.”

As if on cue Ai’s phone lit up again.

“Better answer it, it might be important.”

Ai sighed and answered the phone, “Reiji, I’m in the middle of something important.”

Ai’s look of annoyance fell, and instead was replaced with one of dread, “What happened?”

Ranmaru gently grabbed Ai’s free hand, trying to give some semblance of support.

“I’ll be there as soon as possible,” he hung up and turned to Ranmaru, “Can you drive?”

“Yeah, I can.”

“I need to go to the hospital right now.”

“Okay my car’s at my apartment. It’s not far.”

“Let’s go.”

They were greeted at the hospital by a tall brunette, nervously chewing his thumb nail. His brown eyes scanning the room for someone.

“Reiji,” Ai called and ran over.

“Oh Ai,” the man, Reiji’s face crumpled when he saw the other.

“How long does he have?”

“Not long, you should go say goodbye. Your dad’s already in there.”

“How are you holding up?”

“Not great, but I don’t want to ruin Aine’s last day.”

They paused, and Reiji finally noticed Ranmaru awkwardly standing behind Ai. Ai turned, and gently took his hands.

“I’m sorry to ruin our date, but you can head back if you want.”

“No it’s okay, I can give you a ride home, and I don’t think you should be alone right now.”

“I’m not alone,” he motioned to where Reiji was standing. “But thanks. I’m going to go say goodbye to my brother.”

“I’ll wait out here, unless you want me to come with you?”

“No that’s okay,” Ai squeezed his hands. His hair was falling out of the pony tail, and his cardigan was slipping from his shoulders, and if the situation wasn’t so bleak Ranmaru would tell Ai that he was beautiful.

Slowly Ai’s hands slipped from Ranmaru’s and he retreated behind the hospital doors. Ranmaru felt helpless. He didn’t know what Ai was going through, though he supposed this was the “personal issues” Camus had referred to. He played a game on his phone to distract himself, and when that didn’t work he felt himself doze.

He awoke when unsure hands shook him awake. It was Ai, standing beside him, eyes fresh with tears.

“He’s gone.”

Ranmaru opened up his arms and let Ai cry onto his shoulder. He didn’t say anything, not knowing where to begin with comfort. He wasn’t good at this. Ranmaru was prickly and hot tempered and useless at being soft. But he couldn’t very well let Ai deal with this on his own, so he just let Ai get it all out.

“Do you want to go home?” Ranmaru whispered once Ai had stopped crying.

Ai nodded, “Don’t want to be alone.”

“I’ll stay with you if you want.”

Ai nodded again, and tiled his cheek so it was against Ranmaru’s shoulder.

“Here eat this.”

Ranmaru had placed an omelette in front of Ai. 

“Not hungry.”

“All you’ve eaten in hours is gelato, you need some real food,” Ranmaru’s voice was stern but not unkind.

Ai simply sat and ate. Ranmaru watched, making sure he finished it. The silence in the room was uncomfortable. Ai being unable to voice the feelings growing in his stomach, and Ranmaru being unable to voice the concern he felt.

Time ticked by, and soon the clock read 1 am.

“You should sleep,” Ranmaru offered, placing his hands on Ai’s shoulders.

“Don’t want to,” Ai said back, but was cut off by a yawn.

“Let’s watch a movie or something.”

Ai nodded, and lead them over to a couch. Ranmaru turned on Netflix, and chose the first movie that seemed decent. But it wouldn’t matter anyway, because half way through he felt Ai’s head fall on his shoulder and Ai’s breath on his neck. Ranmaru quickly set up an alarm to wake up for work, and let himself fall asleep next to Ai.

A month later at 2pm Ai walked into the cafe, right as Ranmaru was getting off his shift, “I want gelato.”

Ranmaru looked at him, “Okay?”

“Now.”

Ranmaru laughed a little, and ruffled Ai’s hair, “Okay, okay.”

And so they went, getting two separate scoops of lemon gelato. 

“Why the sudden sugar craving?” Ranmaru laughed, sticking a spoonful into his mouth.

“I wanted a redo date.”

Ranmaru choked. Ai finished his gelato, and grabbed Ranmaru’s hand, leading him to the park where they had gone last time. But instead of going by the roses, Ai lead Ranmaru to an empty playground.

“Let’s play chips,” Ai smiled, “Last one to the playground is it!”

“How are we going to play with two people?” Ranmaru barked back, but Ai was already running to the playground.

“Figure it out, it.” 

And so it began, Ranmaru carefully got onto the playground with his eyes closed, and listened carefully for Ai’s foot steps. He heard some to the right, so he carefully felt for a bar to guide him up the stairs

But the foot steps started to move slowly toward him, trying to sneak past him. Ranmaru suddenly stuck an arm out to the other side of the stair case and felt a soft stomach land on it. Ranmaru used to his other arm to trap Ai in place. 

“Gotcha,” Ranmaru smiled, and opened his eyes. Ai pouted in front of him, but used his hand to cover Ranmaru’s eyes.

“You haven’t tagged me yet, so you can’t look. Don’t cheat.”

And then Ai had an absolutely devious plan. Before Ranmaru could tag him, he placed a kiss at the corner of Ranmaru’s lips. Ranmaru’s arms recoiled and Ai snuck away.

“That’s cheating!” Ranmaru grumped. Ai just laughed.

After their futile attempt to continue playing chips, Ai made his way over to the swing to sit down. A breeze pushed his hair in all directions. Ranamaru’s breath caught in his throat slightly.

“Push me,” Ai demanded. 

Ranmaru instead crouched down in front of Ai, “Can I kiss you?”

Ai nodded, and closed the distance between them.

Once they parted Ai let out a soft laugh, “This is a much better date.”

Ranmaru hummed, and kissed Ai again.


End file.
